About Dragonslayer

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Hello! I am a long time Whole30 advocate and have struggled with binge eating for a very long time. I’ve made lots of progress, but I’m still working on my recovery. I hope to become a Whole30 coach myself in the future, but I would like to be coached by someone first to experience it first hand. I was wondering if the Mods on this forum know which coaches have the most experience with binge/compulsive eating, anxiety/emotional eating, etc. There are so many coaches now that when I went to read about them I’m just not sure which one to choose! Any advice would be much appreciated. I’m hoping to do a September Whole30 with whoever I choose.

@littleg, totally agree with the not into giving kids red #40, ETC. So messed up. I worry if I become a parent I will be way too obsessive about not exposing my child to stuff like that, but maybe thats not a bad thing? i dunno, moderation is good for them to learn I guess, but that's gonna be something I know I will struggle with. Glad you made it through the day successfully!
I've been doing ok, but not great. Finished my first whole30 and then went off the wagon a bit. I had a bad week of bingeing last week, but have once again (hopefully) gotten back on track now. I am trying something new with this whole30. I find I think a lot of the time I end of caving or breaking my whole30 and spiraling into a binge is because of my "all or nothing" mindset. I panic in the tough times and if I have even one small slip, I immediately go into the mode of "ugh I failed again. well now i should just binge." So this time around, although it is not in the essence of a true whole30, I am adding in a new rule. I call it the "It Never Happened Rule." I definitely do not plan on cheating or slipping at all still, BUT, if a "make or break" situation arises and I end up making the unfortunate choice to eat something not compliant, instead of thinking "thats it, i have to start over, i might as well just go crazy now", I will instead instate a 3 bite rule. If I am able to stop eating with 3 or less bites of whatever the food is, then I will try and regain mental control, get back on track, and pretend that the slip "never happened." I will then continue on with whole30 life for the day (hopefully) and try to eliminate the all or nothing behavior. I haven't had a chance to test this out yet, which is good, and i am only planning on using it if i really feel a "failure" coming on, but I just figure it may help change by binge behavior and mental attitude a bit. And for me, even if the whole 30 ends up having a few slips, in my recovery right now, that would be a huge step in the right direction, and much better than 6 days of perfect whole30 with 1 day of terrible bingeing every week. So Im gonna give it a try and see how it goes. Ill let you know, but hopefully I don't have to test this out for a long time!

@littleg I think those families are only in the movies haha! I immediately thought of the football scene in wedding crashers. I’m not worried about you at all! You got this. You’ve been doing so well. No reason to be nervous. That’s just the old you trying to poke it’s head out. Stay strong and confident in your decisions!
I had 3 days of unfortunate bingeing but now I find myself on day 3 of Whole30 again. I can still feel the effects of all the sugar, gluten, etc but I’m staying Strong. It’s exactly 12 weeks until the wedding and for some reason knowing that number is really keeping me focused right now on getting back on track and losing some of this extra weight. Hoping the ridiculous cravings end soon bc it’s been a brutal 3 days so far, but I know it will get better. Working out has helped, and I’m stocked up on a bunch of good food at home so I have no excuses! It’s amazinf how just 3 days off track can throw my mind back into the bad habits, but I’m just trying to remind myself it’s the habit talking and not my true self. Looking forward to the Easter candy being gone from work and hopeful that this will be a good week!

Im trying yoga style handstands as well as just regular. Just trying to build my arm and core strength anyway I can. I was doing a lot of yoga head/shoulder stands, but got a horrible pain in my neck for like a week and couldnt turn to either side, so I took a break for a few days. All I know about the sugar is that when you over do it, the excess floods to your blood cells and gets filled all over your body because it has no where else to go and cant be processed by your organs. No idea why the pain happens in certain areas. I always get it in my neck, chest, and legs. No idea why.
Super bummed because I find myself back at a Day 1 tomorrow. For some reason yesterday, after 42 days of success, I let my dragon totally take over again and when someone offered me a cookie yesterday, I took it and let myself think, "I can handle this now. I deserve it." Well that was the worst decision ever. I was already struggling after my fruit binge from the day before, and I just caved without even stopping to think about it. The cookie led to a total panicked craving afterwards and i ended up having a full on binge of all things sugar and gluten, not only yesterday, but then continued into today! So upset that I let my own brain trick me so easily after doing so well for so long. I know I will now feel even worse tomorrow, but I have spent a lot of time working through my thoughts, why I did it, journaling about my goals from tomorrow on, and what I need to do now to get on track, so I am hopeful that although I know tomorrow will suck, I will get through it. I'm just looking at it as a learning experience, knowing that I am still not even close to being able to enjoy sugary treats in moderation yet. Mentally I still have a lot of work to do, and I can't let my dragon trick me when I am starting to feel good. So now after making it 42 days, my next goal is to go 66 days, which as I have mentioned before is the time it takes for a habit to technically "set in." Same plan as before, and totally bummed that I am back at a Day 1, but I know I can progress even further now, and I am staying positive.

Oh and the 30 for 30 challenge with exercises etc is going well! I can do 20 push-ups in a row now and then break before finishing the other 10. I can do 1 pull-up (pathetic!) but more if they are assisted on the machine at the gym. And my ab reps feel easier and easier every time! Handstand progression is slow but I’m trying to use some yoga moves to help with that. And I’m meditating much more often and it’s really helpful for me. That’s what I should have done that last night instead of going for the fridge. Lesson learned!

That recipe sounds great! I have made a similar one without the maple syrup and it did the job but I’m sure it’s much more “ketchupy” with the hint of sweet. I had a really great positive week. But unforunately let the dragons win last night. After 10 days I caved and had a compliant binge but ate fruit, dates, dried apples, way too much meat, and many more things. Feel terrible this morning and even after only 10 days, I significantly notice the effects of the sugar. Probably mostly from the dried fruit.I had/have cramps in my feet all night, heart palpitations, and lots of other weird and concerning symptoms. Lesson learned and this morning although I am pissed that I let the dragon win, I’m also proud that I went a whole 10 days and will continue on this path of working to not eat fruit nuts or potatoes at all and to only have my 4 meals on plates. Not expecting perfection. Just improvements, and I’m on that path so I’m staying positive and getting back on track today. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

@littleg you can totally do just one egg! I know you can. Sounds like you have been in a great place for a while, so don’t doubt yourself! And maybe you could buy an organic ketchup like Annie’s? Slightly better ingredients I think? I know the feeling though. I’ve been doing a bi-weekly event at work recently where we do free food giveaways and my boss straight up told me, “they aren’t ready for the healthy stuff. Just give them what you know they want.” So I’ve been in a similar shopping boat.
As for me, it’s day 5 of my 2nd round of Whole30, and day 9 of my 30for30 challenge. I decided to just keep track of both since they are pretty different goal wise. I decided I’m not going to introduce beans yet (I was considering it before), I think I need one more month of strict Whole30, and I just have no desire to eat them. Doing really well with the 4 meals on plates so far. And I haven’t had any fruit, nuts, or potatoes either! It’s so much easier when in my head I know they just aren’t allowed at all. I plan to finish this 2nd Whole30 and then consider doing some small re-introductions for my next one, but I know my reset requires a lot longer than 30 (and even 60) days, so I won’t make any decisions until I really feel ready. Doing really well right now though so I’m feeling hopeful and strong!

Good morning! Had a real “heart to heart” with myself (if that’s possible haha) last night and did a lot of journaling and thinking. Yesterday was day 30. I am so happy and proud that I have finally completed my 2nd whole 30, but I realized last night that this is only the very beginning. Cutting out all those bad foods isn’t going to just cure me of my disorder. Sugar is definitely evil and crucial to eliminate in my journey to recovering from binge eating, but the habit is still so engrained in my head and the behaviors have not even close to gone away yet. I don’t drive from place to place gorging on ice cream and cookies and chips anymore, but I’ve just replaced the junk food with healthy food now, and no matter what I allow myself to have, I’m still losing control and letting the habit manifest in anyway it can find. In this next challenge I started (30 for 30), nothing will change from my original plan, but I really realized last night that now that I’m detoxed from sugar and feeling mentally in a much better place, it’s time to really buckle down and focus on the behaviors. The food is basically a habit at this point and doesn’t require much effort at all, so my focus from today on will be to do 4 “template” meals each day, all foods on a plate, sitting down, eating mindfully. My downfall is always snacking between meals and standing in the kitchen eating from the fridge, so I will practice eliminating those behaviors and being very strict about it this time around. I think I got a little ahead of myself when I came up with my 30for30 a few days ago and wanted to start at my 100 days until my wedding mark, but I decided this morning that although I’m on day 5 today successfully, I will restart today just to keep true to my 30 day stretches. Yesterday felt like the true milestone and end of my first phase, so I’ll just call these last 5 days my introduction/warm-up for the real deal. It’s hard accepting the fact that now I have to deal with the real root issues of my problem that aren’t even food related, but it’s also exciting knowing that I am finally making some progress and am moving on to the next phase.

@littleg sounds like you are in a great place right now! And @hmg1993 I also agree about the things we think we “need.” I too used to eat 85% Lindt every night @littleg! I thought I couldn’t live without some kind of treat like that, as well as apples. They were a “must have” every single morning. Now here I am eliminating fruit all together and I can’t rememher the last time I had a Lindt bar. I think it’s mentally a good thing to learn and realize you don’t “need” anything really. It’s helping me going through this process knowing i can get all the nutrients I truly need through very few foods really. At the moment I do feel the “need” for meat and vegetables, but I think that’s because it’s basically all I’m eating!
It’s day 3 of my “30for30” challenge. Feeling good. Had some tough cravings last night when we went out to eat. I let myself enjoy some buffalo wings which were actually gluten free and baked (in lots of butter I’m sure but it’s all good) and Totally delicious. It helped my urges a lot to feel like I was indulging in something bc I never get wings usually, and having a little butter or oil or whatever they used is a better choice for me right now than giving in to the fruit and potato urges, so I’m happy about my choice.
Back to work today and feeling ready to continue and conquer this new challenge!

Hi guys! So I have 2 days left of my first Whole30, but I’ll actually be starting my next phase today because it’s exactly 100 days until my wedding (ahh!) and I just feel like it’s a good milestone to start at. (But I’ll still be finishing my first one so it’s all the same really. ) This next stage is what I am calling my “30 for 30.” I have written out 30 foods I plan on eating which are basically all Whole30 foods with the addition of beans and wine. Beans because sometimes when I eat out it’s easier to have an option like that, and also because I’m eliminating potatoes and want to have another good carb/fiber choice. Beans have never been a “no brakes” food for me, so I will introduce them occasionally when I feel like it. Wine I want to add because I want to practice having it once in a while and learn to stay controlled with it in social situations. Other than those 2 things, all other foods are basically Whole30 without fruit, nuts, or potatoes. Like none. Not even berries. This will be my hardest thing to get used to, but as usual, I’m thinking it’s easier to eliminate all together than try to eat them in moderation. So hopefully after the initial first week of misery, it will get easier. In addition to the 30 foods, I have daily “30” goals.
1. 30 push-ups per day
2. 30 second handstand
3. 30 ab reps of any kind
4. 30 minutes of either reading, yoga, meditation, or combination of them all.
5. I’ve also broken down my “ideal” typical day into 30 activities/intentions/basic daily tasks. I will practice trying to do all 30 each day in order to work on developing my new habits. I’m not going to be crazy about making sure to get all 30 every day, but it’s a helpful guideline and reminder about my intentions each day. The list includes things like “coffee with MCT oil to start the day” and also more abstract ones like “do something today you will be proud of tomorrow.”
Im feeling really ready for this next phase and I think the first whole30 was just crucial to get my mind more focused and ready for this next challenge. Even though I had many “compliant” binges, I feel detoxed, focused, and like a new and stronger person now. My wedding dress is currently 2 sizes too small, so that is obviously another huge incentive and focus I have, but I know if I just trust the process, focus, and keep building on my progress, I will come back to my natural weight, so I’m trying not to stress about that aspect.
Anyways, just wanted to share my update. @hmg1993 it sounds like you are still doing well and staying strong and focused. Keep it up! And also I want to share a strange but delicious concoction I just made for breakfast. No eggs so I had to get creative.
Sauteed ground beef with 2 chopped up bacon slices, and diced cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and garlic, then added 1-2 tablespoons of The New Primal brand cooking and marinade sauce (so good!). Stirred in a tablespoon of mayo with a little salt and pepper. That’s all! Weird and ugly, but delicious!
Hope you have a good day. I’m off to do errands and clean all day!

Good morning! Just a quick check in. I have less than a week left until 30 days! Truly amazing for me. Despite the compliant binges, I am so proud of myself. This morning i have a real sense of gratitude and feeling of hope for my future. My plan is to finish out this week making small changes to plan for the next 30. I want to now work on getting rid of these compliant binges, and i know the key will be to eliminate the problem foods... fruit, nuts, potatoes. I haven’t done it yet bc it seems so hard and sad (mostly my favorite foods right now!), but for my next 30, they will be gone. I will focus on a practice of 4 meals a day, no snacks (unless it’s a much needed exercise induced starving moment from skiing or something) and most importantly, no snacking before or after dinner, the ultimate challenge. I feel good about this next step. It will be my hardest challenge yet, basically trying to do a “true” Whole30, but with even more restrictions. I’m considering adding in occasional beans or rice if I really feel the need for more carbs, but I am leaning towards not doing that. We will see. Maybe just let myself have them when eating out, but honestly I don’t ever crave them at all.
I’m excited and looking forward to continuing down this Whole30 road for a while, until I feel more mentally in control and truly have the Tiger blood, cause I’m definitely not there yet.
Hope you guys are still doing well!

@littleg thanks for the advice/update. I’m gonna check out that other thread after this! And those rules are very similar to mine I’m trying to follow through this Whole30 and beyond as well. Most importantly is the no munching before or after dinner. That is currently my only (but major) issue. It’s day 20 for me! Truly amazing and I’m so happy about it... BUT since yesterday morning I have had the most intense headache and can’t figure out why. I did have quite a few binges over the past week so I’m wondering if my body is just still overloaded and now kind of detoxing back to normal. Could be way too much intake of fat over the days as well. All the nuts, coconut, etc. I know having too much fat has caused headaches before for me, so that’s a possibility. But could also be because one of my binges the other day was very sugary. For the first time in a long time I caved and had a bunch of dried fruit, an rx bar, and potatoes and other fruits, so maybe I’m recovering from the sugar rush as well. Either way, it sucks, and I’m being very careful about what I consume for a few days to try and get back to feeling good.
But as for the fruit nuts and potatoes in the house, I’ve done great not having nuts. That’s key I have learned. Fruit and potatoes is hard though because my fiancé eats those a lot so he’s not really ok with not having them around. So I’ll try and just do my best, but just not having nuts has seemed to make a huge difference for the past few days so I will make sure to keep those away!
I have baby steps planned for my next stages of Whole30. I plan to do it until I feel in control and ready to make some reintroductions. Which could take a while, but I’m ok with that. Mostly though I’m working on eating 4 meals with no snacking before or after (goes well for everything except dinner usually), and then not turning to fruit nuts or potatoes when I get bingey. All in all, I think I’m making slow improvements and my mental strength and stability is increasing which is good.

Thanks @hmg1993! I have been portioning out sort of (pouring in a small cup what would be probably 2 servings) for the past week actually and I do see where it helps. But I still go back like 4 more times for more! I know the answer here is that I should probably eliminate these foods since they are my “no brakes”, I’m just nervous to not have any thing to turn to when I have these urges. I also need some kind of carb for my activity level, but I guess there are definitely other options, squash, parsnips, etc. Maybe I just need to accept the hard truth that those foods have to go from my home. I managed to finish the last bag of nuts last night, as well as the last potato and there’s only 1 banana left, so maybe this is my “sign”?

Tried the broccoli @littleg! Sooo good I’ll be doing that again for sure.
Question for you all. So I’m doing better, I’ll be on day 18 Whole30 tomorrow which is a huge improvement after months of bingeing on all the sugar and gluten every 4 to 7 days basically. BUT, now I literally can’t stop bingeing on nuts, fruit, and potatoes every few days. I know it’s better and I need to focus on baby steps, but this is almost becoming a habit now and I need to figure out a way to stop. I’ve tried a lot of things and I just get these overwhelming urges to eat, no matter what the food is. It’s like I’ve turned it into overeating just to relieve the stress of not being able to binge on sugar, but it’s no better for me to be bingeing on Whole30 foods, because I need to be working on the actual eating habits. Just wondering if you guys have any advice about small steps I could take to help this. I’m kind of at a loss right now. And I’m still happy with my progress of avoiding the bad junk foods and I feel mentally a lot better, but need to tackle this issue now. Any thoughts much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi! Checking in as well. It’s day 10 for me after deciding once again to go back to strict and try again. I’m doing better than before, but I have already had 3 times of going way too bingey with the nuts. I have a bunch in my house and I don’t want to throw them away but I know they are a no brakes food that I should have never bought. Unfortunately I’m a sucker for any kind of deal and they were huge organic bags on sale, so there are sooo many left! I’m considering putting them up on the top shelf behind everything where I have to use a step stool to access tonight haha. Maybe that will help! Anyways, my mental state is slowly improving and I’m feeling more like my old self more and more each day. I’m focusing on reading some old books that originally inspired me and I bought this great mindfulness journal on amazon that breaks down each month week and day with questions, goals, emotions, intentions, etc. kind of like a guided diary but very helpful in making myself more aware of everything I’m feeling and working towards and focusing on the positive improvements.
All I have wanted to eat the last few days is nuts, sausage, peppers, and tomatoes, so that’s basically been in most meals. But I’m suffering major digestive backlash from the nut binges so my goal this week is to only eat them with lunch and not allow myself any after work for snacking. I think I’m over my sweet potato after work binge phase, but I seemed to have just replaced it with nuts so now I gotta work on that. I renewed my gym membership the other day and decided that I will try and go a few times after work just for a short easy workout to try and get my head in the right place before I go home. I always eat well after a workout so maybe that will help curb my after work cravings.
Anyways, all things considered, I’m on the up and up. Weight is a huge concern for me right now which strangely has led to my binges I believe because of the stress of it. I’m the heaviest I’ve been in over 5 years, but I’m just reminding myself to trust the process, trust myself, continue making progress, and it will all even out eventually.
Well im off to work and have delicious grass fed chuck roast and some roasted veggies for leftovers. Hard boiled eggs and a sausage tomato and pepper salad too. No nuts today. I can’t even look at the bag right now
@hmg1993 sounds like you are doing really well! Keep up the hard work and continue with that food freedom. It will never feel perfect I’m sure, but seems like you have made huge progress! Be proud!
oh! And @littleg was it you that always uses mct oil? My aunt doing Whole30 got me hooked when I was home. She does bulletproof coffee and although I haven’t gone Totally bulletproof yet, I do a tablespoon of the oil in my coffee every morning now and love it! Way less acidic and good brain fuel!